Courtesy photo
Liberty Jr. Patriot teammates safety Nicco Fertitta (left) and quarterback Danny Hong were selected to participate in the 2011 Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl Jan. 9 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The all-star game features the top eighth-graders in the nation.
Saturday, Dec. 25, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
Youth football standout Nicco Fertitta
Youth football standout Danny Hong
Youth football teammates Nicco Fertitta and Danny Hong were a class above the competition this fall while playing for the Liberty Jr. Patriots in the Southern Nevada Youth Sports Association Middle School League.
Turns out, they are also two of the nation’s top eighth-graders.
Hong, a tall and mobile quarterback, and Fertitta, a hard-hitting safety, have been selected to play Jan. 9 in the 2011 Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The bowl will consist of four games, highlighted by the prestigious eighth-grade no weight limit game the twosome will take part in.
The weeklong event will consist of practices, a skills competition and being honored at halftime of the high school U.S. Army All-American Bowl, which is televised by NBC. Some of the eighth-graders who participated in last year’s game have already received interest from colleges.
Thousands were nominated for one of 80 spots for eighth-graders — 40 for the 185-pound weight limit game, and 40 for the no weight limit game, the marquee event of the week.
They were required to submit game film, which was evaluated by scouts at Football University, a group that ranked the players with help from league commissioners and youth coaches nationwide.
Making the cut is quite an accomplishment.
The 6-foot-3, 170-pound Hong, who is a student at The Meadows School, is credited by Football University’s scouts as being “a tall mobile quarterback with a cannon for an arm.”
Fertitta, despite his 5-foot-6, 135-pound frame, is a hard-hitter whose aggressive style of play makes him typically the best player on the field. He attends Faith Lutheran Jr/Sr High School.
Getting to experience the All-American Bowl together isn’t lost of the teammates.
“The one thing that is cool is that I’ll be able to look back and say I got to do this with my best friend,” Hong said. “I look at this as a blessing and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Fertitta doesn’t play like someone who is small in stature. He isn’t afraid of contact and has a knack for making the big play, said Lionel Nacua, who coaches the Liberty Jr. Patriots.
“(Fertitta) has a nose for the football,” Nacua said. “He’s such a natural at safety. He knows when to go for the ball or when to go for the receiver.”
Fertitta also plays running back, and slot wide receiver on offense. He carries the football just like he plays safety — with a fearless attitude and looking for contact.
“Hitting is one of my favorite things. Size doesn’t matter if you hit people the hardest,” Fertitta said. “I just get out there and try to be as (physical) as I can to win.”
The youth season ended last month, but that doesn’t mean they have stopped playing. They attend weekly practices with a position specialist in preparation for the all-star game and high school football next fall. Each will attend Bishop Gorman High, where Fertitta’s older brother, Lorenzo, was part of the Gaels’ state championship team this year.
The extra work has been especially beneficial for Hong. He is considered wise beyond his years under center.
“He has that understanding of where and when to throw the ball and the ability to make all the throws,” Nacua said.
